Contemplative Bible Reading

Job 33:14-18 (New Living Translation) 14 For God speaks again and again,though people do not recognize it.15 He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,when deep sleep falls on peopleas they lie in their beds.16 He whispers in their earsand terrifies them with warnings.17 He makes them turn from doing wrong;he keeps them from […]

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Psalm 5:9-10 (Christian Standard Bible) 9 For there is nothing reliable in what they say;destruction is within them;their throat is an open grave;they flatter with their tongues.10 Punish them, God;let them fall by their own schemes.Drive them out because of their many crimes,for they rebel against you. The writer is asking God to help battle […]

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Job 33:14 (New Living Translation) 14 For God speaks again and again,though people do not recognize it. In this sentence, Elihu is speaking to Job while Job suffers. Much of what Job’s friends say to him is incorrect and is later corrected by God. I think this phrase from Elihu is correct. Has God spoken […]

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Isaiah 43:13 (New Living Translation) 13 “From eternity to eternity I am God.No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.No one can undo what I have done.” In this section of scripture, the prophet Isaiah is relaying what God told Isaiah about God. The self-description ends with, “No one can undo what I have […]

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Proverbs 18:17 (New Living Translation) 17 The first to speak in court sounds right—until the cross-examination begins. Ah, the cross-examination. That is when someone stands and says, “Let’s look at this again and consider some other things.” In my career, this was called a “hostile audience.” That was a group of persons who were skeptical […]

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Esther 2:3-4 (New Living Translation) 3 Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments. 4 After that, the young woman who most […]

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Daniel 3:15-17 (New Living Translation) 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you […]

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Proverbs 1:11, 14 (New Living Translation) 11 They may say, “Come and join us.Let’s hide and kill someone!Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! 14 Come, throw in your lot with us;we’ll all share the loot.” These words are so foolish they are almost comical. “Just for fun.” Whoa. “Let’s do something terrible, just for […]

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Jeremiah 42:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 Listen, you remnant of Judah. The Lord has told you: “Do not go to Egypt!” Don’t forget this warning I have given you today. 20 For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the Lord your God for you. You said, “Just tell us […]

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Psalm 90:12 (New Living Translation) 12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,so that we may grow in wisdom. This Psalm is attributed to Moses. Moses is praying and has a list of requests to God. In this request, Moses asks God to teach us about our lives on earth. They are short. Once […]

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